The Electoral Commission (EC) has reassured the public that the theft of its Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) will not compromise the integrity of the upcoming 2024 elections.
In a statement issued by Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman of Operations, the EC confirmed that it is working closely with the police to resolve the issue of unauthorized possession of its BVDs.
The Commission emphasized that stolen BVDs are standard devices and can only be used to undermine the election with the appropriate technical and security measures.
According to the EC, five laptops and several BVDs were stolen or vandalized from its stores during the December 2023 District-Level Elections (DLES).
Two BVDs were reported stolen from the Tarkwa Nsuaem District and North Tongu District during the same period.
The EC detailed its rigorous preparation process for BVDs to ensure their reliability for each election.
It stated that only devices that have undergone this preparation can be used, and any BVD not processed for the 2024 elections will be ineffective.
The verification application, crucial for the election process, only functions with data that has been securely prepared, audited, encrypted, and signed.
The Commission highlighted that access to the secure data preparation process is highly restricted, and any stolen BVD with the necessary activation codes will be rendered functional.
Only available through the EC’s Secure System are the activation codes essential for the BVDs to verify voters.
Additionally, since the voter register for the 2024 elections will differ from previous ones, any outdated data on a stolen BVD will not align with the current register.
The EC reiterated that the verification process includes checks to ensure data integrity, and any tampering will halt the BVD’s operation.
As such, the Commission remains confident in the robustness of its election procedures and reassured voters of the election’s security and fairness.
